I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#8

Sisly, who had lost consciousness, woke up safely not long after.

Fortunately, whether the misunderstanding had been cleared up or because he had already vented everything, Fillen didn’t come looking for me again.

But the threat he left behind became a huge boulder that weighed heavily on my heart.

To make matters worse, it even started raining, making my mood sink gloomily to the very bottom.

The rain that began falling late at night continued the next day as well.

On days like this, it would have been best to hole up in my room and read books without doing anything, but unfortunately I couldn’t do that.

“Oh my, it’s raining quite heavily.”

Because Countess Tebesa had come to visit.

My mind was already unsettled and complicated, and the fact that I had to deal with her felt terrible.

But I couldn’t tell someone I had invited to leave now, so I forced a smile and welcomed Countess Tebesa.

“Please come in, Mother.”

Using the title I only called her in front of others.

Whether she didn’t like me calling her Mother, Countess Tebesa frowned slightly.

“Yes, it’s good to see you’re doing well, Leilah.”

That was brief though, and like someone who had long navigated high society, she put on the mask of a kind mother and looked at me.

I suppressed my churning stomach and forced a smile.

Since we couldn’t continue talking while standing in the foyer, I headed to the drawing room with Countess Tebesa.

She requested that everyone except her and me be sent away from the drawing room.

She probably wanted to take off the mask she was forcing herself to wear.

Since I wanted the same thing, I readily agreed.

A maid set down refreshments and withdrew.

With everyone gone and just the two of us left in the drawing room, a heavy silence flowed.

“You really do look well.”

Countess Tebesa, having thrown off her mask, spoke with a coldly sunken face as she picked up her teacup.

“Despite such things happening, you have such a good complexion. I wonder if I should call this thick-skinned or just stupid.”

Starting with insults about me, I see.

Though my mood wasn’t great, since I’d heard such words often, I was able to maintain an expressionless face.

“I’m not in the mood for a long conversation, so please just state your business.”

When I spoke directly to the point, Countess Tebesa twisted her lips.

“Still as rude as ever.”

“Do you want to have a long chat with me, Mother?”

When I deliberately called her Mother, the Countess frowned and looked at me.

Her eyes were full of displeasure.

If it were the old me, I would have been flustered and avoided her gaze, but the current me was different.

I calmly met her stare.

Then Countess Tebesa snorted and put down her teacup.

“Just because you’ve played at being a duchess for a while, you act like you’ve actually become a real duchess, but don’t forget, Leilah.”

Her affectionately smiling face was eerie.

“You’re still Leilah Tebesa.”

It wasn’t my imagination that I felt a strong accent on the Tebesa part.

She didn’t like that I still carried the Tebesa title.

I was about to let her know that I felt the same way, but stopped.

I didn’t want to get into a war of words with this woman over such trivial matters.

“That’s not why you came here, is it?”

“I heard Duke Williot brought his mistress into the household.”

At Countess Tebesa’s following words, I hesitated while reaching for my teacup.

“She’s even pregnant, I hear?”

“…How did you know?”

“Is that what’s important right now? What’s important is that woman got pregnant before you did.”

Countess Tebesa clicked her tongue as if exasperated and continued.

“What are you going to do now? That woman has made your position ambiguous.”

“…”

“This is why I told you to hurry up and marry to become the duchess as soon as the Previous Duke and Duchess passed away, but you didn’t listen to a word I said, and now look at this mess.”

I wanted to argue back, but since every word was correct, I couldn’t refute it.

At least if Fillen hadn’t made such threats yesterday, I could have smiled and said it was fine, that I would definitely become the duchess.

But now even that wasn’t possible, so I sat there quietly like a mute who had eaten honey.

The poker face I had tried to maintain had long since crumbled.

Countess Tebesa, who had been looking at me pathetically, took out two small bottles from the bag she brought and placed them on the table.

The small bottles contained liquids of different colors.

One red, one blue.

“…What are these?”

At my question, Countess Tebesa pushed the red medicine toward me.

“This is medicine that helps with conception.”

This time she pushed the blue medicine forward.

“And this is medicine that causes miscarriage.”

…Miscarriage?

I looked at Countess Tebesa in shock.

“If that woman gives birth, your position will be shaken. You might be broken off from the engagement, or even if you somehow become duchess, you’ll just be a figurehead.”

Countess Tebesa spoke as if bringing abortion medicine was perfectly natural.

“It would be fortunate if you at least became duchess, but what if you’re broken off from the engagement? You’re not thinking of returning to the manor, are you?”

Countess Tebesa shook her head as if the very thought was terrible.

“If you’re thinking that, abandon the idea. I have no intention of taking you back again.”

Though it was a cruel statement, I was actually glad to hear it. I would have hated it more if she had told me to come back.

“Moreover, you’re already 24 years old. You’re well past marriageable age. Do you think you’ll be able to marry again after being broken off from an engagement?”

“…”

“You could manage somehow, I suppose. If you married a very old nobleman.”

Countess Tebesa sneered, asking if that’s what I wanted.

Though I already knew this fact, having it confirmed like this didn’t feel very good.

And it felt even worse because it was coming from Countess Tebesa.

“If you’re going to say strange things, please leave right now.”

“I don’t know why you think it’s strange. I’m saying all this out of concern for you.”

“How exactly are you concerned about me?”

“If I weren’t concerned, why would I have gone through the trouble of obtaining such medicine?”

At those words, my gaze turned back to the medicine she had brought.

Specifically, to the blue one – the abortion medicine.

When I couldn’t take my eyes off the abortion medicine, Countess Tebesa smiled strangely.

“They say just one drop will cause a stillbirth.”

Though she looked like a demon risen from hell.

“If you want to protect your position, make that woman drink it.”

Strangely, to me it sounded like the sweet whisper of an angel.

* * *

Though I disliked Sisly, I still didn’t feel like taking a life.

That was the same even for Sisly and Fillen’s child.

What sin could the child have committed?

If anyone was at fault, it was Fillen who had embraced another woman while having a fiancée.

Sisly was, in a way, also a victim.

So I couldn’t use the medicine Countess Tebesa had given me and shoved it deep into my vanity drawer.

If I wasn’t going to use it, I should have thrown it away, but strangely I couldn’t bring myself to discard it.

Quite some time had passed since Fillen returned to the manor, but the duke’s work was still my responsibility.

“I think it’s about time you hand over the work to His Grace the Duke, Miss.”

Near the end of the meeting, Kent, one of the advisors, subtly suggested to me.

“Before, it was understandable since he was in despair, but he seems fine these days, so I think it’s proper to hand over the work to him now.”

“I feel the same way.”

Another advisor agreed with Kent’s words as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“It’s not like His Grace the Duke isn’t here, and I think it’s improper for you to continue handling His Grace’s duties, Miss.”

“I agree as well.”

Of the four advisors, three excluding Wizard Baron were displeased with me continuing to handle the duke’s work in his stead.

They had been showing such signs for a while, so it wasn’t particularly surprising.

I had also been thinking it would be good to hand over the work to Fillen soon.

“I see.”

So I nodded calmly, but Wizard Baron watched my expression. He seemed worried about me.

I smiled to indicate he shouldn’t worry, then continued speaking.

“I share the same thoughts as all of you. However, the rainy season is approaching, and we’ll need to go to the Capital soon, so let’s hand over the work to His Grace the Duke after that.”

“That would be about a month from now then.”

“Considering various circumstances, it’s the perfect timing. Let’s do that.”

The advisors readily accepted my opinion.

“Then let’s discuss this again at that time and adjourn for today.”

After everyone left, Wizard Baron, who remained until the end, cautiously approached and spoke to me.

“Miss, are you really alright?”

“I’m fine. When His Grace the Duke takes over the work, I’ll have much more free time, so from my perspective, it’s good news. So please congratulate me rather than worry, Wizard Baron.”

“If you say so, Miss, then I shall congratulate you.”

Only then did Wizard Baron smile with relief and leave.

As soon as Wizard Baron left, I let out a deep sigh and held my head.

It really is good news, right, Leilah?

I asked myself the question, but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Only my frustrated feelings deepened.

“Miss, someone from the Atelier has come.”

Ah, are the tailored clothes already finished?

Well, since we’re leaving for the Capital the day after tomorrow, it was about time for the completed garments to arrive.

“What about the accessory craftsman and the shoe craftsman?”

“I received word that they’ll come sometime today.”

“We need to compare them with the finished clothes, so tell them to come immediately.”

“Understood.”

Misa immediately had a servant send word to the accessory craftsman and shoe craftsman.

“I’m sorry to the Atelier people, but ask them to wait a little until the others arrive, and guide them to the Drawing Room. Treat them appropriately.”

“Yes.”

“When the other craftsmen arrive, contact His Grace the Duke and ask him to come to the Drawing Room. He needs to decide on his outfit.”

After giving Misa various instructions, I handled the remaining tasks.

Managing the manor’s finances and other duties that were originally the duchess’s responsibility.

I was reviewing financial documents about today’s expenses, money to spend in the Capital, tax management, and other financial matters when Misa reported that the other craftsmen had arrived.

“Alright. I’ll come out right away, so go ahead first.”

The financial documents were confidential papers that couldn’t be shown to just anyone.

So I was about to put them in the safe before leaving, but Misa didn’t leave and watched my expression.

“What is it?”

“Well, you see, Miss…”

“If you have something to say, don’t hesitate and say it quickly.”

When I pressed her, Misa squeezed her eyes shut and continued.

“That Woman is also in the Drawing Room.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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